


Viscera's Value

by mothwebs



Category: No Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Cannibalism, Dismemberment, Manipulation, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:48:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25504711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mothwebs/pseuds/mothwebs
Summary: Returning from exile, Riptide comes to take back his place as ruler.





	Viscera's Value

"Uhm, 's-scuse me, I'm sorry but you're, you aren't allowed - you need permission to be here-"

"Spare me the talk and I'll spare your life." The visible shiver from the smaller one prompted a sharp smile. He caught their gaze flickering back and forth between his face and the bell hung on the wall behind him, and he shook his head. 

"And don't try sounding the alarm, either. We both know I'll catch you before you can even try to flee~"

"I - I don't know what you mea-"

Claws dug sharply into their shirt as he pulled them up to his level. "What I'm _saying_ is that you're going to let me pass. You will tell me where the rest of them are gathered, you will lock the gates and prevent anyone from leaving until I say so. And you will _not_ talk back like that unless you want me to string you up along the walls like strands of seaweed." 

With a scowl, he tossed them back against the floor and folded his arms. "If you don't want that, you'll go back to your post and let me pass, won't you?"

They nodded shakily and backed up further, lowering their gaze and staring at the floor as if it would provide a solution to get them out of here. "Ah, y-yes… yes, s-sir, right away- they're in, everyone is in the dining hall-"

"At least _someone_ here knows the right way to address their leader."

He turned and moved away, swimming idly along the corridors as if he had all the time in the world. Let them think they were safe, that was always a fun part. But then again, he reasoned, they'd believed they were safe for too long, now. They thought he wasn't a threat anymore. That there was no need to think about what could possibly happen if he returned - they believed he never would.

 _Idiots,_ he thought, fists clenching as he drew closer to the sounds of the hall. _Stupid little sacks of meat, no better than the pirates._

What a shame that they would be so unprepared for his arrival. That, at least, was enough to restore his composure, even leading him to hum softly as he moved closer towards the centre of the nest. The knowledge of just how _scared_ they were going to be, oh, he couldn't _wait_ to see it. Why not go a little faster? There was nowhere to hide anyways, nowhere to flee or escape their punishment. And surely they would soon not _want_ to leave him, yes? Yes, he would make sure of that.

There it was, the towering twin oak doors, encrusted in shells and barnacles and the odd skeleton, too. He'd always thought it could do with more bones, considering it was the entrance to the dining hall. Oh, well - if he was lucky, he could start the redecorating right after this, as there were quite a few bones in the hall that definitely ought to be relocated.

"Open the doors." He demanded of the guards stationed in front of them. They glanced awkwardly between each other, and one of them started to mumble something about “needing permission”. He didn’t wait for them to finish, and they weren’t given the chance before his claws dug into their throat and swiftly tore out any words they had left. The other one promptly turned tail and fled at the sight, and for once he couldn’t be bothered to give chase. Tossing the bleeding body aside, he turned to the wood barring the doors from opening and started to hack at it, ripping it apart piece by piece until it finally collapsed into the sand beneath them. He pushed and shoved at the doors with renewed fierceness, and eventually, they gave way, swinging slowly open through the water to reveal the sight of the choir of sirens packed into the hall. 

He watched them, laughing and feasting together, dancing to the music they sang, carrying on happily _without him._ Revelling in his absence, _unafraid_ and content with their delusions of safety. Completely entrenched in the belief that they didn’t need him, that he had no power over them anymore. _Disgusting._

But then the music slowly stopped, the chatter fell flat and silent as his presence became known, as everyone turned to stare at him apprehensively. And the anger bubbling in his chest was tempered at this, a taste of the old ways they used to react to him, a flicker of fear that very much hadn’t disappeared, and it brought a smile to his face, how _wonderful_ it was to see it again after so long. 

“W-What are _you_ doing here?!” There sat Kai, the pathetic wimp, all high and mighty in the prime seat held above them all, pretending he was worthy enough to address him this way. It was almost laughable, and indeed the siren did laugh, his pent-up rage and aggression spilling out into mirth.

“Hiiiiiii, Kai~” Riptide giggled, waving a bloodstained hand in greeting. “Look at _you_ , sitting in my seat, pretending you’re oh-so-much more important than you could ever hope to be.” He moved forwards, closer to Kai, and the crowds parted like the sea itself, scrambling to make room lest he lashes out again. 

“I- You aren’t supposed to be here, you should be-”

“You don’t get to boss _me_ around. If a wretch like you can break the laws in such a way, well - why shouldn’t someone like me be permitted to join a simple feast?” A manic glint shone in his eyes as he looked over the smaller siren, staring past the skin to assess the flesh and bones stuffed beneath it, like a present he couldn’t wait to open. “I am _awfully_ hungry, you know, it’s been too long since I’ve had a taste of some real food~”

Kai scowled deeply. "You don't eat real- _normal_ food. I don't think you _can_ join the feast since there's nothing here to suit your tastes."

"So simple, little one, how narrow-minded you've become. Never the type to open up to new opportunities, are you?"

Kai trembled slightly as Riptide moved closer, gliding calmly up through the water towards his seat as if he were an old friend coming to say hello. He backed away slightly once he was at eye level. "Opportunities are- they're good. They got rid of you."

The other siren simply shrugged as he came a little closer. "Yes, they can be wonderful, no? Well, that's all I've been doing, really - seizing my chance, taking what's mine. If I _can_ get what I want, then I _will_ get what I want, it's that easy. And if you all had just complied sooner, perhaps practised your "sorry"s and "yes, of course"s a little more… If you'd treated me with the respect I _deserve_ , then we just might have avoided this little situation altogether! That _is_ something you'd want, right?"

"......Maybe." Kai chewed his lip as he thought over his words carefully. He was acutely aware of all eyes being upon him, and for once he wasn't enjoying it. There was the instinct to settle the conflict and set an example, and yet…

"...Yeah, we could have avoided it. We could have done that if you were worth respecting."

Riptide's claws twitched. His placid smile was no longer gentle and impassive, letting slip flashes of sharp teeth gritted tightly through even sharper words.

"Get out of my seat, Kai. Now."

"Uhuh… A-And what if I don't?" The other demanded, desperate not to succumb so quickly. "You think it's funny, do you? To just-"

"I will not repeat myself." Little red beads bloomed under his sudden grip around Kai's throat, and the audible gasp that arose from the audience only made his smile grow. "Forfeit your place in a circle of power that you were never worthy of, and remove yourself from my sight."

Kai struggled to breathe, scrabbling desperately at Riptide's arm to loosen the pressure. Finally, after a long silent pause, the grip was released and he was permitted to breathe…

Long enough to inhale and scream as the claws moved down to the shoulder, sinking into the flesh like knives as the siren carved out the arm from its socket. Blood clouded the water as more screams followed swiftly from the crowd, ribbons of scarlet trailing from the hunk of exposed flesh as Kai drifted all the way down to collapse on the sand, breath shaking and sobbing as he clutched at the wound. 

Above him, far above him, Riptide laughed in delight, immensely satisfied to feel the surge of fear within the room. At last, they were back on track, heading back to the way things _should_ be. He tore a chunk from the arm and chewed thoughtfully, watching Kai struggle to pull himself upright. "Hmmm.. you know, for a siren with the thought capacity of a sea snail, you _do_ taste quite lovely~ We'll have to see if your value as one of my subjects will ever measure up to the value of your flesh, won't we?"

The siren on the sand managed to look up at him, eyes filled with shock and yet so much rage. And _fear_ , that delicious fear. Riptide flashed a bloodied grin. "I gave you an order, Kai. Will you be good, or shall I take your head next?"

No response. Nothing except for a quiet sob as Kai turned away from him. Complete silence in the hall as the still-bleeding siren dragged himself across the sand and out into the corridor. Nobody dared to touch or help - his worth, his fate was known and no interference could change it. They finally, fearfully, knew their place again.

Riptide smirked as he reclined back in his seat, watching his subjects turn away from the traitor to face him again. 

"Start up the music and resume, darlings. This is a feast, after all~"


End file.
